Cured Beef

Creamy and soft on the palate, with a rich, primal taste that finishes with a hint of rosemary, this is exactly what answers the call of the refined carnivore.  I wish my photo did justice to the ruby red color and white marbling, because a slice of this is art on the plate.  And it is effortless to make.

Total prep time for this is less than five minutes, plus a couple of days in the fridge to cure.  I used an electric knife to slice it thin, and fanned it on my plate.  My comment to Kate after eating my first slice: "This is what beef jerky aspires to."

(The Whole Beast, pp 36-37.)

• 1 Beef Tenderloin Filet
• 2 C Kosher Salt
• 4 C Sugar
• Rosemary, bunch
• Black Pepper, finely ground

1. Mix Salt, Sugar, and Rosemary in a small bowl.  Pour 1/3 into a plastic container with an airtight lid.
2. Put Meat on salt cure.  Pour remaining cure on top to cover, then seal and refrigerate for 2-3 days.
3. Remove fillet from cure and rinse under cold water.  Dry and rub with pepper all over.
4. Slice thinly across the grain and serve.  Leftovers can be wrapped in plastic and kept refrigerated for about a week.